Mail-handling or transfer apparatus



-July 23, 1929.

F. R. CURTIN MAIL HANDLING OR TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l July 23, 1929. Y F. R. CU'RTIN 1,721,987

MAIL HANDLING 'OR TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 15; 1928 SSheets-Sheet 2 July 23, 1929. 'F. R. CU RTIN MAIL HANDLING OR TRANSFER APPARATUS Filed Feb. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet I t Zlwuwntoa: I Frau-1:115 R. Burt-Ln Patented July 23, 1929.

FATEN'E' tries.

FRANCIS 3. concern, or BUFFALO, new YORK.

MAIL-HANDLING QR TRANSFER APPARATUS.

Application filed February 13, 1928. Serial No. 254,032.

This invention relates to improvements in mail handling or transfer apparatus.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a compact and collapsible apparatus for transferring mail between railroad trains and wayside stations, embodying improved means by which the mail bags may be handled with facility; without tearing the bags; with av high factor of safety; and in such an eiiicient relation that a large amount of mail of various classes may be transferred to from the railway coach, while moving, at any desired speed.

A further object of this invention is the provision of improved mail transfer apparatus embodying a, novel type of collapsible crane for attachment to the railway coach, and a novel collapsible stationary crane; the movable and stationary cranes embodying improved means to facilitate the economical transfer of mail to and from a railway coach, in an eliicient relation; the stationary crane embodying improved means to collapse or move the arms and mail received thereon to an out of the way position immediately after the movable crane of the railway coach has operated thereon in a mail transferring opcration.

Other objects and advantages of this in* vention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate correspan d in n' parts throughout the several views,

F i "'ure 1' is a plan view of the improved lira er apparatus showing the movable crane arm on the railway coach in position with mail supported thereon, just immediately prior to passinginto a cooperative action with the stationary crane at the wayside station, to effect a mail transfer operation.

Figure 2 is a view of the transfer apparatus looking substantially in the direction illustrated by the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showin the relation of parts of the movable and station ary cranes after the mail transfer has been effected.

Figure l is a' fragmentary view, partly in section, showing cooperating details of the stationary crane at the wayside station.

Figure 5 is a view illustrating the details of the stationary crane.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the end connectionof an arm of the stationary crane, the view being taken substantially on the line 6 6 ofFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary View, partly in section, showing the structural details of the stationary crane, with the arms collapsed.

F igureS is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a movable crane in collapsed'relation within the railway'coach adjacent the door opening thereof.

Figure 10 a fragmentary view of the collapsed details of the movable crane on the railway coach. v i

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the collapsed details of the movable arm in the railway coach.

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line l2-12 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 13-13 of Figure 14.

Figure 14 is a view ofthe mail supporting arm of the movable crane when in an extended position. y Y

Figure 15 is a plan view showing the detent operating features ofthe arm of the movable crane, with the cover plate of the arm removed to expose such details. i

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate av railway coach, of the type used for transferring mail, the same having operatively associated therewith and therein a movable crane l3 oftheimproved mail handling or transferring apparatus, which is adapted for a cooperative association with a stationary crane construction C adapted to be mounted upon a suitable foundation or platform D at a wayside station.

Referring first to the movable crane B associated with the railway coach A, the same includes a supporting post or column 20, provided with suitable upper and lower step bearings 21 and 22 beneath the roof and on the floor respectively of the railway coach, as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, so as to vertically position the said post 20 in slightly spaced relation with the inside surface of the wall 22 of the coach A immediate- 1y adjacent a side edge of the doorway 24 of the coach A- f On the post 20 is vertically slidable an arm construction 30, which includes the horizontally disposed and horizontally swingable supporting portion 31. provided with a lateral offset 32 adjacent an end thereof, said lateral offset having an opening 32 there through for slidably receiving the post therein. Upper and lower adjustable. supporting collars 33 and 34 are provided on the post 20 above and below the arm portion 31, having set screws 35 to adjust them in posi tion on the post to hold the arm 31 for movement in any desired horizontal plane at the desired height; The lateral offset 32 is be tween the ends of the arm portion 31, although closer to the inner end tl'iereof than the outer end, and at the end thereof spaced farthest from the post 20 the arm portion 31 is provided with spaced apertured extensions 38 having a horizontal pivot pin 39 supported thereby, upon which -is pivetally mounted an arm 38 connirising part of the arm construct-ion iflt). This arm 38 is so pivotally supported by the arm portion 31 that the same may hang vertically in a collapsed position so that it may be swung into the car A out of obstructing relation with the doorway 24, as illustrated in Figure 9, the same con'iprising means to hold the same horizon tally supported for extension with; respect to the doorway 24 into mail delivering and re ceiving relation with respect to the stationary wayside crane C, in the relation, illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. The arm 38 is pivoted between its ends on the pin or pintle 39 above mentioned, and at one end thereof the same is preferably provided with a catch or detent 40 pivoted on a pin 41; the detent 40 being adapted to be received within a recess 42 at the end of the arm portion 31, illustrated in Figure 12, to engage the arm portion 31 adjacent the recess, as illustrated in Figure 14, in order to hold the arm portion 38 in horizontal position upon the arm portion 31, as shown in Figure 14. In this relation of parts the opposite end of the arm portion 38 extends horizontally and is provided with mail receiving and delivering apparatus for cooperation with the stationary crane C at the wayside station.

As to the mail receiving and delivering apparatus supported by the arm portion 38, the same is best illustrated in liigure 15, which shows that the arm portion 38 is provided with spaced supporting plates 45 and 46, eX-

tending in a right angled relation at opposite sides of the arm portion 38, the same being secured as by screws 47 to the arm portion 38. The supporting plates 45 and 46 extend in a right angled relation at the longitudinal axis thereof, at opposite sides of the arm portion 38, so that the plates 45 and 46 receive there between spacing blocks 49, which are secured as by screws 50 to said plates 45 and 46. Between the plates 45 and 46 at one side of the arm portion 38, detents and 56 are provided, for the delivery wing of the arm construction 30, the said detents 55 and 56 being pivoted as at 5'? on the said plates 45 and 46, having the opposite ends thereof provided yond the adjacent edges of the supporting plates 45 and 46, the same constituting the edges over which the mail receivii'ig racks 61 slide when the mail bag racks 61 are grabbed by the stationary crane C in a relation to be subsequently descril'ied, and thus depressing the detents 55 and 56 to take the mail bags from the arm 38.

At the opposite side of the arm portion 38 from the wing on which the cetents 55 and 56 aremounted, awing is'provided, which may be appropriately termed. the mail bag receiving wing of the movable crane, the same compris ing detents'65 and 66 pivoted as at 67 on the plates and 46,- being limited by a pin and slot construction at their opposite ends; a spring 70 operating on said detents to normally force the fingers 71 thereon beyond the confines of the plates 45 and 46., to grasp the racks 61 on which the mail bags are hung, in a relation to be subsequently mentioned.

it is )erfectl i a parent, from the fore oin l i. z: :1

(lQET-Ci'lptlOn of the railway coach crane B that when the catch 40 is released from the position. illustrated in Figure 14 to the positien illustrated in Figure 11, the arm 38 will he vertically collapsed with the mail bag delivery and receivingends lowerniiost and from this position the armportion 31 may be swung to the position shown inFigure 9, and it is obvious that the crane occupies very little position in the railway coach, and entirely out of obstructing relation in the doorway 24. Of course when the catch 40 holds the arm 38 horizontally, the same may be swung on the column 20 to the position illustrated in Figure 1, and in this position the mail bag delivery and receiving end'of the arm construction 30 extends though the doorway 24, at one side thereof, with the arms 31 and 38 abutting against a wear strip or stop plate 78, and itis not necesary for an operator to hold the arm in position during mail receiving or delivering and the door in the doorway 24 may he closed.

If desired, the entire crane construction B may be readily removable from one side of the car to the other side.

Referring to details of the stationary or wayside crane C, the same includes a preferably steel or metal housing '80, comprising side walls 81 and 82; front walls 83 and 84 secured thereto, and a central partition wall 85 preferably parallel between the walls 81 and 82 and secured to the walls 83 and 84, and dividing the space between the walls 81 and 82 into weight receiving compartments 86 and 87. For the compartments 86 and 87 a single closure or door 88 may be provided hinged at 89 to the wall 82, and swingable to close said compartments 86 and 87, as is obvious from Figure'4 of the drawings. The side and partition walls 81, 82 and project forwardly beyond the front walls 83 and 84 slightly to provide pockets 90 and 91, so to speak, adapted to receive mail delivery and receiving arm structures 93 and 94 respectively.

Referring to the arm construction 93 adapted to support mail matter thereon for delivery to the movable crane of the railway coach, the same includes a mail arm body 95, which adjacent one end is provided with a transverse pin or pintles 96 bearing in the walls 81 and 85 to position the said arm 93 for collapsing in the pocket 90 of the housing 80. This arm body is provided with upper and lower plate portions 97 and 98 secured as by screws 99 thereto; the plateportions 97 and 98 having laterally extending wing portions 100 in spaced relation, secured together with a block 101 therebetween at the free ends thereof and secured to said block 101 by means of a screw 102 or the like. These wing portions 100 in the space therebetween are provided with mail bag rack detents 105 and 106, of the same nature and mounting as the detents 55 and 56 above described, that is, as shown in Figure 4 and they are pivoted at 107 on the outer ends of the wing and at their opposite ends are slotted as at 108 thru which pins 109' extend to limit the inner and outer movement of the detents 105 and 106, with respect to the outer edges of the wings provided by the portions 97 and 98. A spring 110 operating between the detents 105 and 106 forces said detents out wardly so that the mail sack or bag receiving rack 61 may depress the said detents by slid ing over the outer convex surfaces thereof in order to remove the mail bag rack from the wing portion of the arm 93, as is perfectly apparent from Figure 4 of the drawings. On the upper plate 97 of this arm construction 93 is positioned a half segment 115, peripher ally grooved, a cable 116 being secured at one end on the segment and being trained over the groove of the segment the cable 116 being extended into the compartment 86 and there at its free end supporting a weight 120 which normally acts to pull the arm 93 to a vertical collapsed position, such as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2 and in full lines in Figures 3 and 7 of the drawings; this being the position when the armconstruction 93 does not support any mail bags. Vhen, however, the arm 93 has a mail bag hung thereover by one of the mail bag racks or frames 61, the arm 93 is then horizontally positioned in the relation illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, and in this position the weight of the mail. bags counteracts the weight 120, and pulls the arm 93 to the horizontal position, this movement of the arm 93 being main tained by abutment of the pivot and of the arm93 against a stop illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings.

As'to the arm'94 the same is of the general construction above described for thearm 93, comprising a body 130, pivoted as on a pin or pintlo 131 at one end, on the walls 82 and 85', so as to collapse in the pocket 91. Above and below, the body is provided with plates 133 and 134, providing laterally extending wings 135 spaced apart and at their free ends receiving a spacing block 136 therebetween secured by ascrew 137. Detents 139 and 140 are pivoted at 141 on these plates 133 and 134; the same having slots 143 therein at their opposite ends receiving pins 145 which are held by the plates 133 and 134 to limit the outward or inward amplitude of n'iovement of compartment having arable 163 secured thereto as at 164, the cable at its opposite end having a weight 165 thereon depending in the compartment 87 and normally operating on the arm 94 to elevate the same to a hori- Zontal position; by abutment against a stop 167 positioned on the wall 84 as'illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The weight 165 operates to pull the arm 94 to this horizontal position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings when there is no mail bag supported by the arm 94. However, when a mail bag attached thereto is received on the arm 94, immediately the weight thereof being greater than the weight 165 tends to pull the arm 94 downwardly as illustrated in Figure 3 to a collapsed position such as illustrated in vFigure 7 of the drawings, the wall 82 being recessed at 170 in order to permit the wing portions 145 of the arm 94 to be received therein.

Referring to an operation of the invention,

the mail bags to be delivered to the wayside station are of course hung on the crane B in the relation above described, and the arm 38 then swung outwardly to exteriorly of the car in a position illustrated in Figure 1. The mail bags to be received on the arm crane B in their transfer from the wayside station C are of course initially hung on the arm of the stationary crane construction C as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

As an efficient arrangement for the support of mail bags so that the same will not be touched by any rods or hooks and thus not become torn, it is preferred to provide the mail bag supporting rack or frame 61, which is rectangular in formation, and formed of steel or metal, it being preferred that the-mail bags 180, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, shall have a plurality of snap hooks 181 thereon for supporting on the lowermost bar portion of the frame or rack 61, where the mail bag or sack will not become touched by any of the arm portions of the cranes, as is perfectly obvious, it being seenthat the arm portions of the crane operate in the opening of the frame 61 in order to elect the catching and transfer operation. (The arm 88 of the movable crane B when horizontally supported for mail transfer purposes is positioned in a plane so as to move between the arms 93 and 9aof the wayside crane C; it be ng seen from F1gure 2 of the drai gs that the delivery arm 93 of the stationary crane C is at an elevation above the elevation of the horizontal arm 94; of the crane C. in this relation of parts it is perfectly obvious th at as the wing end of the arm 38 of the *rane l moves towards and between the arms 93 and 9% into the position illustrated in Figure 1,

. the frame or mail rack 61 supported on the delivery end of the arm 38 will be positionet to receive the wing ends 135 of the mail receiving arm 9 1 of: the crane C therein, and incident to the structure of the detents 55 and 56 the frame 61 willrcadily slide thereover and thus the mail sacks delivered from the arm 38 to the arm 9 1. Of course upon further movement of the arm 38 the forward wing ends thereof supporting the detents 65 and 66 will slip into the opening of the mail bag rack or frame 61 supported on the arm 93 and will pull said frame 61 over the detents 105 and 106 as is perfectly apparent, and thus receive the mail bags or sacks from the wayside station crane C onto the crane P), thus effecting a complete transfer. As soon as the mail bag is received on the crane arm 7 94 from the crane arm 88, the weight of the mail bag will collapse the arm 94 downwardly to a horizontal collapsed posltion out of obstructing relation with respect to passing trains, to substantially the position illustrated in Figure 7 of the-dra vings, and likewise as soon-as the arm 38 grabs the mail bag and frame therewith from the arm 93 the weight 120 of the arm 93 will pull the arm 93 to a vertical position as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings, thus removing the, same from obstructing relation with respect to passing trains.

From the foregoing description of this in vention it is apparent that a novel type of mail bag tiiansfer apparatus has been provided, which will elliciently transfer mail to and from trains and wayside stations; the transfer crane on the train being collapsible to a compact position within the train coach,

and the supporting arms of the wayside station crane being automatically collapsible incident to reception or release of mail bag loads with respect thereto.

Various changes inthe shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spiritof the same or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a mail handling or transfer appara tus for railway cars the combination of means mounted on the railway car-adapted to support a mail bag outwardly from the Car, and means beside the railway comprising; collapsibie upper and lower mail delivery and mail receiving arms respectively spaced to permit the first mentioned means to pass therebe tween during travel of the car.

2, In mail. transfer apparatus the combina tion with a railway car of an arm movably associated therewith for extension laterally from the railway car, a forwardly extending wing transversely mounted on said arm latorally of the railway car having spring urged movable mail bag receiving detents thereon, a rearwardly extending wing on said arm laterally of the railway car having spring urged movable detents thereon, and means beside the railway car adapted to deposit a mail bag on the first mentioned wing and extract a mail bag from the second mentioned wing.

in mail bag transfer apparatus for railway cars the combination of a supporting post, an arm pivotally mounted on the post for, movement in a horizontal plane, an arm pivotelly mounted on the first mentioned arm for movement in a vertical plane, detent means for holding the last mentioned arm in a horizontal position on the first mentioned arm, and means on the second mentioned arm for receiving and permitting delivery of mail bags with respect thereto.

41-. In mail bag transfer apparatus for rail.- way cars the combination of, a supporting post, an armpivotally mounted on the post for movement in a horizontal plane, an arm pi. votally mounted on the first mentioned arm for movement in a vertical plane, detent means for holding the last mentioned arm in a horizontal position on the first mentioned arm, and means on the second. mentioned arm for receiving and permittingdelivery of mail bags with respect thereto, comprising wings projecting at each side of the axis of the second mentioned arm, each of said wings having retractable detents thereon.

5. In mail transfer apparatus the combination of a supporting arm, detents on said arm, spring means urging said detents away from each other to extend beyond the confines at opposite sides of said arm, and a mail bag attaching frame receivable on said arm by relative movement of said detents towards each other.

6. In railway mail transfer apparatus a supporting arm, detents mounted on said arm spring means operating on the detents nor mally urging the same away from each other, and a mail bag frame having an opening therein in width less than the distance between the outer confines of said detents when urged to their limits of position by said spring means whereby the detents must be relatively moved towards each other to permit movement of said mail bag frame onto the arm or off of the arm.

7. In railway mail transfer ap aaratus a supporting arm, detents mounted on said arm,

" spring means operating on the detents normally urging the same away from each other, and a mail bag frame having an opening therein in width less than the distance between the outer confines of said detents when urged to their limits of position by said spring means whereby the detents must be relatively moved towards each other to permit movement of said mail bag frame onto the arm or off of the arm, said detents having convex edges facing the mail bag frame when the lat-- ter is on said arm and upon which the said frame acts with a cam action to automatically depress the detents when any force tends to move the mail bag frame off of said arm.

8. In railway mail transfer apparatusa supporting arm, detents mounted on said arm, spring means operating on the detents normally urging the same away from each other, and a mail bag frame having an opening therein in width less than the distance between the outer confines of said detents when urged to their limits of position by said spring means whereby the detents must be relatively moved towards each other to permit movement of said mail bag frame onto the arm or off of the arm, said detents having divergent fingers thereon having convergent edges sloping in the direction of the free end of the arm.

9. In mail handling and transfer apparatus the combination of a. vertical supporting post, an arm horizontally pivoted on said post. for swinging thereabout in a horizontal plane, a second arm pivoted intermediate its ends on an end of the first mentioned arm, means on an inner end of the second mentioned arm for connection with the first mentioned arm to hold the second mentioned arm in a horizontal position, means on the outer end of said sec ond mentioned arm comprising projections extending to both sides of said second men-- tioned arm, and spring urged detents on the opposite sides of each of said projections having convergent cam edges extending away from said second mentioned arm.

10. In railway mail handling or transfer apparatus the combination of a train including a stationary supporting construction, a pair of arms pivotally mounted for swinging in vertical planes on said supporting construction, weight means operating on one of said arms to normally maintain the same collapsed in vertical position, means on said last mentioned arm to receive a mail bag in a detachable relation, and means acting on said last mentioned arm to limit an extended positioning of the same to a horizontal position when the weight of a mailbag is imposed thereon.

11. In railway mail handling or transfer apparatus the combination of a crane including a stationary supporting construction, a pair of arms pivotally mounted for swinging in vertical planes on said supporting construction, weight means operating on one of said arms to normally maintain the same collapsed in vertical position, means on said last men tioned arm to receive a mail bag in a detachable relation, means acting on said last mentioned arm to limit an extended positioning of the same to a horizontal position when the weight of a mail bag is imposed thereon, weight means for the other arm normally acting on the same to maintain it extended, said last mentioned arm having means thereon to receive a mail bag sack whereby the weight thereof will be over-balanced and permit collapsing of the last mentioned arm on said supporting construction.

12. In a stationary crane for railway mail delivery the combination of a supporting construction, a pair of vertically swingable arms on said supporting construction, weight means acting on one of said arms to normally move the same to a collapsed vertical position, weight means on the other arm to normally move the sa ne to a horizontal extended position, and means on said arms for receiving mail bags so that the weight of the mail bags will counteract said weights of the arms to move the first mentioned of said arms to an extended position and to move the other arm to a-collapsed position by overbalancing its weight means.

13. In a railway mail. bag delivery and receiving crane the combination of a supporting construction, an arm pivotally on said supporting construction, means acting on said arm to normally maintain the same vertically collapsed, means on said arm for receiving a mail bag so that the weight of the mail bag will counteract the means which acts on the arm to hold it collapsed so that the arm will assume an extended horizontal position, a sec ond arm pivoted on said supporting construction, means acting on the second arm to maintain it normally extended in a horizontal position, said second arm having means thereon to receive a mail bag in such relation that the weight of the mail bag will overcome said means which maintains the second arm extended and move said second mentioned arm to a collapsed vertical position.

FRANCIS R. CURT'IN; 

